Kate Todd Returns
by calleighstorres
Summary: When Bishop leaves NCIS, a familiar face joins the team. Set in Season 15. Kate/Nick Friendship. Tate angst/friendship. Implied Ellie/Reeves & Gibbs/Jack.
1. 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS,, all creds to CBS & rightful owners - this is just a fanfic :P **

**AUTHORS NOTE ; I like Ellie okay?! I needed a good exit storyline and to be honest, I don't feel like writing a character death so instead we have Bishop moving to Britain to be with Reeves ( who is still alive in this universe of mine ) and loves her like crazy, just how she loves him. Trust! Also bringing back Kate as an alive character is something that we would never see so I thought why not? I came up with this idea a while ago. Set in Season 15. Abby's still the Forensic Scientist and hasn't left yet. Tim had a kid from a previous relationship but is still married to Delilah. [ Previous storyline had Kate as SFA but I changed it just because apparently a difference in seniority on the team isn't allowed in the fandom,, ] Lowkey AU. **

This was the desk that held the past of many of the female members of Gibbs' team. Ever since Kate had gone, there was forever a bittersweet presence about it. The relationship upheld with Gibbs, Tony and McGee was almost uncanny. Since Tony left, Tim had always considered the possibility that if Ziva was alive, maybe something had happened differently with Kate. All they knew was that she had survived the shot. That had been leaked from the FBI's Intel by one of the agents that was friends with S.A. Gibbs. Kate had been working for the government longer than him with her previously being in the Secret Service.

Nick was getting used to no Ellie. Her being in England meant that FaceTime was the only actual way they were going to see each other face to face until she came to visit again. He was elated for her and Reeves finally making that big decision, however, it did also impact him. A new face would be joining Team Gibbs soon enough. And he wasn't sure how many temporary agents he could scare off before there was no more subs. They needed 'the one'. Somebody Gibbs liked. That Torres could laugh and joke with. Someone McGee could converse with about old cases.

Tim was spending the day off and Gibbs was upstairs talking to Jack in her office. That left Nick in a half empty bullpen, awaiting the arrival of their newest team member. He'd been expected to welcome her as she was a returning agent from a secret mission deep in Europe. Paris to be precise. Her file was classified and her profile on CODIS was as well. They had a person, but no identity given. Like she was that far gone.. or that important of an agent to NCIS. But it was the FBI who sealed off that classification in the first place. Damned feds.

Meanwhile, in the elevator stood a petite woman in a navy pantsuit matching with a white blouse underneath and black ankle boots. Her hair flowed down in brown waves that went no further than shoulder length. Her badge was attached to the waist, as well as her gun that was upholstered in it's holster. She didn't have an imperfection anywhere on herself. Her gear bag slung over and a blank expression on her face. The face of a federal agent that was back in the spotlight and no longer hiding. She'd been given the open spot on Gibbs' team. He had been told, and even approved of it. Only, he had no idea she was coming so soon. Her flight from Paris had arrived earlier than anyone had expected and honestly all the woman wanted to do was sit down at her desk again. She had met both Ziva and Bishop. They had told her stories of their time at the desk and what it meant. Ellie had reached out and told her about the open spot on the team. After considering it, she decided to take it.

Exiting the elevator, eyes averted from work to her. Even Torres, who had been walking about bored out his mind, was curious. The face was familiar. The older women put her bag down beside her old desk and stared at it for a while. "You must be Special Agent Torres. Bish has told me a lot about you, Nicky." The Latino cocked his head, confused by this strange character. "And you are?"

The woman turned around to him and smiled. "Special Agent Caitlin Todd. Kate if you please."

That's when it came to him. "As in, _the _Kate Todd that disappeared off the face of the Earth in deep undercover work?" Kate nodded. "That's me." Nick couldn't believe it. Instead of a new team member, they regained an old one. A friendly face. Someone who would break his spleen if he ever mistreated her. The mortal combat princess. Nickname given to her by DiNozzo. Whatever Ellie had told her about him, it seemed to have been different from what he assumed she would say.

"So, what brings you back to the team Kate?"

"Special Agent Bishop suggested I should take the vacancy on the team. I couldn't pass it up, I suppose."

Torres' skeptical look disappeared. If she was chosen by Bishop, then he wouldn't have anything to worry about. She always picked the right females for the right jobs. Gibbs had to have known she was coming. Otherwise he would've been asking the Director which agent from another team was being placed on his team. Surely. Him and Jack had been getting extremely close over the years so Sloane might've known too. Though he would never actually figure out if she knew or not. Kate was like a daughter to Jethro.

"Caitlin, welcome back!" A voice said from behind them.

Dr Mallard came forward and Todd hugged him. "Hello Ducky." She greeted the elder man. He had always been like a figure of authority and wisdom in her life, so she him again meant a lot. Palmer also hugged her. That's when an ear piercing scream came from a running Abby Scuito. "Kateeeeeeee!" She screamed, running into the bullpen and suffocating her best friend in a tight embrace. "I.. missed.. you.. too.." she breathed. Abby realised how hard she was squeezing her and let go. Kate gratefully smiled. Her return was a nostalgic yet much needed one. A familiar face was needed around, since they had only ever been losing people the last few years.

Caitlin couldn't believe her luck. With Ducky, Jimmy and Abby all being there still. No Tim, or Gibbs though. However, meeting Nicholas Torres had been a meeting she wasn't going to forget anytime soon.

Vance trusted her with this team and she wouldn't let anyone down. Wouldn't count on it. She'd see Tim tomorrow maybe.

That's when another presence came before her. Gibbs and Jack. "Kate." "Gibbs." They nodded to one another. Then she looked at Jack. "You're Sloane, right?" "Correct!" Kate pursed her lips.

"Torres did mention Gibbs' new love interest. I couldn't quite believe it .. he does wear his glasses now doesn't he?"

Jack laughed. "Yes, yes.. he does." The younger woman chuckled. "Great. Well, I've got a phone call to make so I'll be right back."

The team all stared at her. "You're gonna call Tony?" "Yeah. What hurts the most is missing someone you care about right? He deserves to know the story just as much as everybody else." Kate pulled out the piece of paper she had been given by his management agent, then her phone. "No stealing from my desk, Nick."

Kate walked to the elevator and got in with a few other people. If she could finally allow herself to live out her life with her birth name, then surely she could contact her old partner with ease too.

She dialled in the number and held the phone to her ear, not really expecting a response. "DiNozzo." "Tony?" Kate heard that same chuckle she knew all too well. "Kate?" The genuine shock in his voice made her heart pound harder.

"It's me, DiNozzo."

"What's Tony short for?"

"Anthony. DiNardo DiNozzo Jr. You've told me too many times."

He hummed. "I think I deserve an explanation." "I know you do."

From start to finish, she told him what happened the second she was hit with that bullet. How the FBI got involved. Her work for NCIS in Paris. Turns out, he had seen her before. During one of his shenanigans abroad. When he and Ziva were in posing as a couple of assassins. He thought his mind was playing tricks on him, turns out, the waitress had been Kate. She really had been watching over him all along. Which means she probably found out about them rolling about in bed together. Ouch.

"So.. you saw me?" "I've always been there, Tony. You just lived your life just as I wanted you too. You didn't need me at all. I'd just thought that since I'm back in the field as the SFA on Gibbs' team.. that I should call. Since we won't probably ever see each other again." A frown formed upon his face. Even though his daughter was currently asleep, he didn't want her to hear him cry. So he held back the deep sadness he had gotten from her sudden departure from his life. Finally getting closure was the most relieving thing in the world.

It didn't matter what happened. They would be there to talk to one another, just like they used to. And though Kate was adjusting back into her old life.. she would never forget the important things she learnt from being partnered with Anthony DiNozzo.


	2. 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS! **

**Authors Note: Part of the 'Kate Todd Returns' universe! [ I made Kate SFA just for the storyline,, oopsies :P ] ,, I know - other storyline references, all part of the ting though. **

Nick had arrived at work early, 5am to be exact, only to find Kate already sitting at her desk - clad in a red sweater and a pair of slacks with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, letting her fringe become more obvious.

"Hi Nicky!" She greeted him, not looking up from her paperwork.

The Latino, confused by all of this, peeked over the wall and saw her top drawer open. It had a turned over picture frame inside. Kate shut the drawer and he went over to his desk without a word. Special Agent Todd had been warned about his need to investigate a lot of the time in other's personal lives. Reminded her of DiNozzo in that sense.

"Hey Kate, did you finish your report yesterday?*

"I did. Did you?"

Torres quickly sat down and began typing on his computer once he had logged in. Kate chuckled inwardly, knowing that he most definitely hadn't finished his report. Which is why he was asking. Because if two of them hadn't done it, it wouldn't be as noticeable. "How was your date last night? Looked friendly." "With Delta? Yeah, it was good." The older woman nodded and stacked up her papers, slipping them into the middle drawer at her desk.

As it was early, the bullpen was much quieter. She could hear Torres typing on his keyboard. Why she hadn't gotten here so early was just as good a question as any other. Her alarm was set for 3am so she thought getting some extra work done before it was needed would be good. Now usually, she would be one to sleep in.. however, Kate couldn't really sleep and had decided to go to work instead.

"Hey Nick, do you know if McGee will be in today?" Nick looked up, "He should be." then continued his work. Although she had seen everybody, Kate had not yet seen Timothy McGee. The last time she did, he was still new to the team. It had been a long time since then. Over a decade ago. She had been in Paris for most of those years, working special operations with the NCIS branch there. Kate had never left NCIS in the first place. Because it was now her life. Being an NCIS special agent. And she wouldn't change it for the world.

Thinking about it, she hadn't really done anything she had wanted to do. Unmarried. Childless. Still single. People would constantly ask her, what she had wanted to do with her life. 37 years old and still unsure about where she stands in her life that she had devoted to her work, having been made to disappear via the FBI. Living in France all those years, she had seen a lot more than she had expected to. Even witnessed Tony and Ziva undercover. She was in that restaurant. As a waitress. When 'Sofie' and 'Jean Paul' had made a guest appearance. Only she was too good at her job to be noticed by any of the team. Not even McGee had seen her.

"Kate?!"

She eyes averted from staring into space and up at Timothy McGee who was stood infront of her desk, bemused and shocked by her presence. Caitlin stood up and went around to see him. They shared a quick hug. "Tim! You're so much older, wow." McGee rolled his eyes. "I know. You look exactly the same." Kate smiled at his compliment. At least his comment was more appreciative. That was all that mattered.

"I see you've met Torres."

"Yep. Nicky is an interesting character," the two watched him sleep before Kate got the whistle in her pocket and blew it. Nick jolted up, falling off his chair and onto the floor. "I'm awake! I'm awake!"

McGee laughed. He had missed these sorts of shenanigans. "Finished your report?" "Yeah, that's why I was taking a power nap! And why do you have a whistle?!" Kate also laughed. She knew that her and Nick Torres were going to be the best of friends. Plus her seniority meant he would have to listen to her somehow.

Tim wasn't sure what it would be like having Kate back. But now she is, he is sure it was the right choice. "So, where have you been these past few years?" Kate took a deep breath. "Belgium, France, here.." His eyes widened. "How long ago were you in France?" Kate thought back. "Umm, 8 years ago? I was working as undercover back up for some NCIS agents undercover."

McGee wasn't sure he was hearing her right. "That's when Tony and Ziva went undercover as a married couple of assassins-" Kate sat back down at her desk and opened the file that had been delivered by the mailman. "I know." she responded nonchalantly. That's when it hit him. The waitress, she had looked a lot like her. In fact, it was her.

"You were there?!"

"Yep. And yes, I saw 'it' too."

They both knew what 'it' was. Tony and Ziva 'playing around'. "You're lucky you only saw it on the infrared." The brunette nodded in agreement as she read the file. Inside there was a letter addressed to her. Whatever it was, it had taken a confidential file to get it to her from wherever it came from. Or from who sent it.

The other agents noticed the interesting way she was holding it. "What's in the file?" "A letter." she mumbled, opening it up and reading it to herself.

'_Special Agent Todd, _

_Welcome back to NCIS. I see you chose to resume your role on Gibbs' team. My name is Jenny Shepard. I'm sure DiNozzo has mentioned me being Jethro's ex and former director. The shoot out was a diversion from a bigger threat coming. I'm under FBI surveillance the same reason you were before you decided that you were no longer an asset to Ari Haswari, who is now deceased. _

_Your mission in Europe was to keep any undercover missions from going wrong, and you did an outstanding job. Keeping out of the spotlight is hard for an agent that's presumed dead. The threat coming to NCIS is closer than we could've ever imagined. Someone is responsible for leaking info to people on the other side of the border into Mexico. Cartels are gathering this Intel to use against federal agencies. _

_Because of your past, being in the USSS, protection detail is your specialty. They're going after Gibbs first. But they'll take down anyone with them. You should only mention this to McGee and Torres, not Jethro. _

_I trust you will do the right thing with this info, however, I cannot be known to be alive by anyone except you. Not yet._

_\- Former NCIS Director & Special Agent Jenny Sheppard' _

Special Agent Todd had heard about this. But it coming from someone else who had their death faked as well.. this was serious.

"Kate?"

"We're likely to face a national incident. There's a leak in the building, and someone is giving out classified information to Mexican cartels looking to find any way to take down federal agencies from the inside out."

Tim and Nick both left their desks, drifting over to hers. "You're not serious? Shouldn't we tell Gibbs? Or Jack?" "No. It says not to. He's the first target. You've done protection detail before right?" The two men glanced at one another, before looking back at the older woman. "Nope."

"Well, I'm going to give you a crash course!"

"Oh no." they both said in unison.


End file.
